Two things of importance are happening at once in Texas! First, the Primary Run-off’s in Texas are underway. With 22 House and 2 Senate races up for grabs, those campaigns are in full swing. The Run-off election will be held in just a month on Tuesday, May 24th. With many races in Texas decided during…
Today – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked the Texas Senate to study 84 charges during the interim, before the 88th Legislative Session begins. That gives us seven months to study the issues before the prefiling of legislation begins! “The interim charges I released today reflect my priorities, the priorities Texans shared with me as I…
After a year of Legislative Session(s) – Regular and Special – Campaign Season is in full swing! The Texas primaries begin early voting on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. It’s “Go Time!” for the Texas political season. (And don’t forget your Valentine on this day… you will have to deal with the results the rest of…
As we enter the last two days of the third called special session, the members have been working all weekend into the wee morning hours of the morning. It appears the two Houses are coming into agreement on “must pass” items. I think it’s safe to say that everyone is ready to go home to…
It’s officially October – and short of a few small breaks the Texas Legislature is still going since their regular session January start. Members are tired, families fed-up with spouses not at home, and their employers want to know when they are coming back to work. Texas was meant to be a “part time legislature”. …
Austin, Texas August 23, 2021 On Friday, the House finally got a quorum to conduct their business and set Committee hearings for this week! When you think things can’t get stranger during the Texas 87th Second Special, they do. Sadly, the Governor got Covid, as did two other House members, bringing the total to 8.…
It’s a big hot summer at the Take 2 Texas Lege! The Texas 87th Legislature is back again for its second special session. This past week, the legislature has seen a filibuster, the signing of civil arrest warrants, the reinstitution of temporary legislative funding, court rulings and so much more! The wheels are off the…
Big news came this week with the announcement of the first special session for the Texas 87th. The session will begin July 8, so keep an eye out for future messages about topics on the agenda. Election season is also in full swing, Governor Abbott makes good on his promises, and the final numbers are…
The election season has already begun! The regular session may be over, but certainly our journey continues. There are rumblings of a special session or two, and a number of announcements precede upcoming primaries. We’ve got June’s headlines here to keep you in the know – stay cool! Special Sessions Governor Abbott has suggested that…
T-minus 17 days to the end of the session and alcohol to-go is here to stay. This past week we celebrated Small Business Week, and there have been major movements on legislation ranging from future pandemic procedures to permitless carry to bail reform. Hang in there – this wild ride is almost over! Powering Texas…
With just under three weeks left to Sine Die, the Legislature is working as fast as ever. We have for you this mid-week report which provides a comprehensive overview of this year’s Leadership Bills. Through Monday, this is where each bill stands. We’ll have more for you Friday with all of this week’s news from…
There are 24 days left to Sine Die, and this past week has left us in a breathless whirlwind! Eye-catching headlines include the passage of the Firearm Carry Act, the Texas Heartbeat Bill, and the Omnibus Elections Bill. Additionally, the conference committee on the budget is almost done with its work. Hold onto your hats…
The final countdown begins in the last month of the Texas 87th Session. The budget is in conference committees, bills pass through the chambers as fast as ever, there is big news from the Census Bureau, and we have just 31 days left to go! Constitutional Carry Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick created a Senate special…
The Texas 87th saw a number of high-profile bills move through the chamber as the Session quickly approached its final month. With calendars growing longer and longer each day, the House and Senate are hard at work discussing key legislation. Bills are flying across the capitol and the finish line is in sight. Constitutional Carry…
It’s full steam ahead for the Texas 87th. With just under a month and a half left to go, both chambers are burning the midnight oil as bills fly out of committee, to the floors, and across the capitol. After a busy week at the legislature, we have all you need to know right here.…
There’s no rest for the Texas 87th as session deadlines quickly approach. Lawmakers returned to the Capitol after the holiday weekend to buckle down for a week full of committee hearings, bill readings, and ongoing work on the Texas power grid, election integrity, and so much more! Powering Texas Lawmakers continue their hard work and…
Today leaves 59 days in the Texas 87th legislative session. Both chambers were bustling as an increasing number of bills made their ways out of committees and to the floor for final readings and votes. The House adjourned Thursday, April 1, and will reconvene Tuesday, April 6. The Senate adjourned Wednesday, March 31, and will…
Just past the halfway mark of the 87th Legislative Session, there was great news for Texas this week as Covid-19 vaccine eligibility expansion was announced, the Senate reviewed important pandemic liability legislation, and efforts to improve the state’s power system forged ahead. Fast Facts and Figures Last week, the total number of bills reported out…
The Cold Storm continues, this time it’s within the Texas Capitol, as leadership and the Legislative offices work on varying solutions to fix storm problems and address future electric issues. Budget writers in both chambers are marking up and finalizing their committee’s budget bills very quickly. All other committee hearings are going full steam ahead…
The Texas 87th is in full swing this week as unrestricted bill filing wraps up on Friday, March 12. To date, there are over 4,000 bills filed in the House and about 1,500 bills filed in the Senate. Amid Texas reopening 100%, approximately 7 million Covid-19 vaccines have been distributed across the state, committees meet…
It keeps getting busier and better with 87 days left for the Texas 87th. With over 4,000 bills filed in both chambers combined, the Senate began referring bills to Committee on Wednesday, and the House is expected to do so next week. The House reconvenes at 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 9 pending the reading and…
After a record-breaking week across the state, we have our sights set on springing forward with the Texas 87th. While many are still “digging out” from last weeks storm events, the Legislature has little time to stall in getting back to business. And they are poised to do so this week. Keep in mind that…
Legislators were welcomed back to the Capitol this week as the session geared up for the final month before the unrestricted bill filing deadline (March 12). With five action items on the to-do list, Governor Abbott released his budget for the biennium, and the Senate Finance Committee plans to meet nine more times before the…
The Texas 87th is about a month into its 140-day session, and the Governor has outlined five priorities to receive emergency action in his State of the State address Monday evening. Texas continues to deliver good news about the COVID-19 vaccination effort. House committee assignments have just been announced ahead of the House and Senate…
Things are ramping up at the Capitol. The Governor gives his State of the State February 1 at 7 p.m., carried live on Nexstar broadcasting stations, over 2,000 bills have been filed, and House committee assignments loom over the horizon. The Senate has begun Redistricting hearings with different regional focuses each day. Here is a…
After a week-long official hiatus, tomorrow the Texas 87th Legislature is ready to roll. Both Chambers have adopted their Covid rules. In the House, one representative has already tested positive for COVID-19 and others are in isolation. The House rules passed in HB 2 require masks, expand remote voting to the adjoining rooms, and permit…
Here we are, five days in, and already so much has happened! Masks, hand sanitizers, drones, and safety troopers were in no short supply as Dade Phelan was elected Speaker of the House, while Governor Abbott hinted at permanently establishing alcohol to-go, and the Comptroller’s Biennial Revenue Estimate hit the airwaves. And the Texas Senate…
Happy New Year! Everyone is most hopeful now that “2020” is behind us. Let us keep the faith! As we hit the ground running, the 87th Legislature meets tomorrow, January 12th. New members will be sworn in, to vote on a House Speaker -Dade Phelan looks to be a shoe in- then each chamber will…